The future of BPS in England
When you sit down to look at your Basic Payment Scheme claim you’ll be pleased to know that you can throw away your calculator.
The 2021 BPS claim has been simplified so you will no longer need to provide crop diversification or Ecological Focus Areas.
Cross border claims are now a thing of the past and you will need to submit each claim to each paying agency individually from 2021 onwards.
Looking further forward, the news isn’t so bright. The BPS payments you currently receive will reduce each year and will be halved by 2024. The scheme will hit the highest claimants the hardest with an ‘income tax-type approach’ to the reductions.
In Wales, simplification of the 2021 BPS claim means you will no longer need to adhere to the crop diversification guidelines. The time limit for submitting supporting information will be extended to December 31 and advance payments of 70 per cent of your expected claim will be made in October with the final part coming when your claim has been fully validated. There will also be fewer inspections and fewer harsh penalties for over-declaration.
The Sustainable Farming Scheme is still in the design stages and we await further details.
Clare Williams, Associate, Roger Parry & Partners
